Howdy and NATO Straps?

[Stengah]

Well I've been reading the forum for a few months now and finally decided to post something. So I've had my Sub for about 6 months now and I have some questions about NATO's. I thought getting one would be nice for a change. Was gonna go with a Bond style and maybe a solid color too. My questions are:

Where should I buy? I've seen a bunch on Ebay for reasonable prices and on a few external websites as well. Any opinions or suggestions for reputable sellers/sites? A $20 strap seems a little cheap for a Rolex, are there nicer straps available or is this what most people go with? Lastly, would you say NATO's are more or less comfortable than steel bracelets?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. And feel free to post any negative opinions on NATO's with supporting arguments as well, I know many people are not fans. The steel bracelets are superb but the variety and style of NATO's is quite tempting for me.

[Jonathan007]

Hi
Stengah,

I have just bought a couple of NATO's for my 225450. I think they look cool! The straps were £6 each off Fleabay and feel really comfortable when worn, great quallity also!

NATO straps are the future ;-)

[14060Perfection]

I love my NATOs. I got the black and grey one, all black and OD green. They totally change the look of your watch, a cinch to swap and if a spring bar fails the case of the watch wont be lost. I got all mine from a seller on Ebay, heres the link to their store:

http://stores.ebay.com/Seiko150m-shop

Yes they are cheap, under 20 bucks each, but they are just made from nylon so its a cheap material. Plus having the NATO changes the look of your watch by making it not look so expensive. The average Joe sees it and generally doesent think Rolex cause of the strap and wont draw as much attention as say the OEM bracelet.
And I think the NATOs are very comfortable.

[Dan Pierce]

Enjoy the read:
http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=70313
dP

[Stengah]

Cool I ordered a couple on ebay and might just join The Nylon Nation when they arrive.

[Dr. Robert]

Check out Maratac brand NATO straps. Well made, 316 SS hardware, woven nylon is good quality.....I have a bunch & am very happy w/ their quality, fit & finish.

[tmac141]

Check out this site, they have an excellent selection:

www.rltwatches.co.uk/acatalog/Military1.html

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Dr. Robert

Check out Maratac brand NATO straps. Well made, 316 SS hardware, woven nylon is good quality.....I have a bunch & am very happy w/ their quality, fit & finish.

Agreed, quality straps.
dP

[Lamone]

I'm a long time NATO wearer, they are fantastic straps and so comfy.

image hosting service

[Poohsan]

Originally Posted by tmac141

Check out this site, they have an excellent selection:

www.rltwatches.co.uk/acatalog/Military1.html

Is this the best place to buy a True James Bond style nato strap?

[kiwiwatch]

great info

[learningtofly]

Personally, I'd opt for Zulu (or Zulu Extreme if you want the extra piece under the head). Thicker nylon, much better quality fittings and immensely comfortable.

[ErikXIV]

Very comfy + you save your OEM bracelet!

[HERITAGE82]

The place to get the "real" bond strap with the correct coloring is Corvus Watch Company : http://www.corvuswatch.com/index.asp?page=watchbands .

I love Nato Straps and have bought from atleast 10 different places and I have found that your best bet is buy a few from different makers so that you find the nylon fit and hardware finish you like. Some have rounded hardware and some have more squared, they all use different quality nylon that wears in differently so the feel of each will be diffeent also.

So what I do is start by purchasing the least expensive strap that has the color you like (unless its a "bond" style then go with Corvus nit it is costly) and see if it feels right if not keep buying until you find the company you like. Then when you have a few extra NATO straps in the end you can always sell then on ebay and get most of your money back.

Enjoy the new look and feel..... you just may never want to go back!!

[Dan Pierce]

Nato, G-10, RAF, Zulu, there all good. Many options to fit everybody's requirements.
Lately I've been impressed w/ zulu straps. As Tony has done, matching colors can make the perfect combo. I've got more colors on the way.
dP

[sailmed]

Strapcode also is quite good.

http://www.strapcode.com/store/nato-...jatm6g4ejjq3e4

Also try Corvus watch...I have their Real Bond NATO and it is super!

[SoCal C4S]

Go Maratac Zulu all the way. I wore the same one for 9 years in the Marines, through multiple deployments, schools, and combat zones. Do it.